(Newser)
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Whole Foods wants you to know—or, at least, believe—that you won't go broke by shopping there. The upscale grocer is expanding beyond its traditional urban haunts into suburban markets, and in the process trying to shed the reputation that earned it the nickname "Whole Paycheck," the Wall Street Journal reports. The chain is offering more price promotions and discounts, and, despite rising costs, is even keeping prices on many items flat.

Some Whole Food products may still induce sticker shock, but the company hopes customers feel as though they're getting enough bargains to make up for it—a strategy they call "price perception." The chain is bothering with the push because its recent expansion into suburbia has been surprisingly profitable, thanks to a combination of lower rent and lower competition for organic food dollars. But the chain needs to be careful not to alienate "core customers," notes the Journal: They spend three times more than new ones.

The only persons I've heard call Whole Foods "Whole Paycheck" were the employees. And that came about when a friend & I shopping at *that* particular Whole Foods that night used the term we like to use to describe it, which is "Whole Wallet" (as in, "How much will those three bags of groceries from Whole Foods be costing you? Oh, about your Whole Wallet, that's how much"). The cashier where we were in line cracking that joke heard us & jumped in & told us, "We employees call it 'Whole Paycheck' " (and yes, everyone laughed at both those jokes). In other hilarious news, Tiffany's will (*not*) be opening lower-cost suburban stores to reach the sub-1% market (i.e. the great-unwashed-masses 99% market), some day, in some town (just not anywhere near *you* - or *I*), & *not* very soon (lol ;-)

hatchling1

Feb 15, 2012 8:40 PM CST

I occasionally shop at Whole Foods for specialty items, but it's nuts to try and do one's regular weekly food shopping there.. the prices are a good 20% higher than regular supermarkets for identical items and brands. Trader Joes is in only a few states.

793tango

Feb 15, 2012 7:58 PM CST

I remember one of the fist times I went into Whole Foods. Going through the Produce section I saw strawberries.....including the EXACT same brand that my supermarket carried....and they were charging $1.59 MORE than my store did....for the same size package. I refused to buy anything but vitamins there. And then ONLY when I absolutely HAD to. Been in Trader Joe's. Can't stand the music.